Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technologies are rapidly making their way into all types of networks (e.g., home, SOHO, education, enterprise). Nearly all networking companies have been rapidly adding WLAN components to their product portfolio.
Governing this technology expansion are the IEEE 802.11 standards, currently the industry's choice for WLAN architecture compliance. While the standard defines alternative modes of operation, today it is the Infrastructure Mode that is most commonly deployed. In this mode a wireless Access Point (“AP”) is attached to the LAN via an Ethernet cable and wireless Utilizing Devices associate with the AP to gain wireless access to the LAN. The wireless clients must be within radio range of an Access Point and be capable of passing any authentication screening the AP may deploy. Sufficient AP's must be deployed to insure radio coverage of the desired area and capacity for the desired number of clients, as each AP can only support a limited number of associated clients. FIG. 1 (prior art) thus illustrates how access to LAN server 100 and its services is extended one wireless radio hop to Utilizing Devices 120 by the deployment of APs 110.
Deploying a WLAN in this manner can require extensive site evaluation, security planning, and—as illustrated in FIG. 1—lots of wire. Thus, each of AP's 110(a)-(c) are connected via corresponding wires 105(a)-(c) to LAN 100. Moreover, some devices—such as computer server 130, printer 140, and projector 150 in the example of FIG. 1—may not be configured for association with AP's 110, resulting in yet additional wired 105 connections back to the LAN. The mobility afforded by the prior art environment of FIG. 1 is thus focused on accommodating limited motion by clients 120; however the Access Points 110 themselves, as well as servers and services e.g. 130, 140, and 150 are still stationary-wired LAN systems. This prior art design methodology has been instrumental in launching the WLAN revolution worldwide. There is, however, need for a new approach that will enable networking components to gain their freedom via wireless technologies, while continuing to adhere to established industry standards (particularly those governed by IEEE 802.11), and while preserving or even improving the ease and security with which mobile and other devices can access LAN resources.